Statement on the National Holocaust Monument Inauguration

On Thursday, September 28th 2017, I had the distinct honour of rising in the House to announce the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa.

“Mr. Speaker, on Friday night Jewish people around the world will observe Yom Kippur, the holiest day in Judaism.

Yom Kippur translates as the Day of Atonement, and marks the culmination of 10 days of reflection beginning on Rosh Hashanah.

This year we will have another cause for reflection. Yesterday, the Prime Minister inaugurated the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa.

This memorial will allow Canadians of all faiths to remember the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust. It will ensure the lessons of the Holocaust remain within our consciousness for generations to come, so that we may never again see history’s darkest period repeated.

I want to recognize the hard work of the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, led by Fran Sonshine, and the generosity and efforts of the many Canadians who worked to make this dream a reality.

In this time of reflection, may we resolve in our words and our deeds to combat hate, intolerance, and anti-Semitism.”